Prawn and Pork Cakes with Mac Khen Pepper

Method

1. 1 Roast mắc khén for 40 seconds, then grind it finely; mắc khén is a wild pepper from Northwest Vietnam that gives a numbing, aromatic flavor that black pepper lacks.
2. 2 Chop the shrimp coarsely, leaving pieces, then mix with minced pork, lemongrass, shallots, and cornstarch.
3. 3 Knead the mixture for 5 minutes until it becomes firm, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. 4 Press the minced meat mixture into 1.5 cm thick patties around a flat bamboo stick.
5. 5 Grill over charcoal for 4 minutes on each side, then sprinkle with chopped mắc khén and coriander as soon as it's removed from the grill.

With an appliance

• Oven 45 min

  Replace step 5: Arrange the shrimp and pork patties on the middle rack of the oven at 225 degrees for 8 minutes, flip after 4 minutes, and place a drip tray underneath to catch the grease. The patties cook evenly without needing to constantly monitor the charcoal, and in return, the smoky flavor of the mắc khén spice is milder.